The Greatest Showman - Simple Interview

"Knock knock," Emma called as she tapped on the door to the waiting room. She pushed the door open to find Ezra Miller, Daisy Ridley, and Charlotte Kennedy in the midst of a chase. Ezra had his head in his hands, dramatically crying for help, while Joe Alwyn and Tom Holland stood nearby, grinning without a hint of sympathy. A few others were seated in chairs, watching the spectacle unfold.

The atmosphere was chaotic.

"Mates," Emma greeted, but before she could say more, Ezra darted behind Joe Alwyn, pulling him along as he kept stepping backward. He positioned himself in front of Emma, laughing wildly and shouting, "Mutiny! Betrayal! Everyone's united against me! It's not fair! I'm the only villain here!"

Emma glanced helplessly at Ned, who simply smiled back with indifference.

"Ezra, calm down, calm down. Fantine hasn't cried yet—it's not your turn," came a calm, slightly mocking voice from behind the group. Laughter erupted as everyone recognized Renly's voice.

During Ezra's exaggerated complaints, Joe, who had become Ezra's "hostage," managed to break free and quickly ran to join Tom and the others. They took their seats next to Renly and Michelle Dockery, who had been talking quietly before being interrupted by Emma and Ned.

Clearly, it was Renly who had spoken earlier.

"Guys, can you spare twenty minutes for an interview? We have a guest," Emma said, shifting the group's attention. She stepped aside to allow Ned to take the spotlight. "Sorry to interrupt your break. I'm Ned Mullan, from Empire magazine."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the room erupted in cheers. "Empire! Empire! Empire!" the group chanted. The excitement in the air was palpable, a lively mix of youth and enthusiasm.

Emma looked at Renly, who raised his hands in mock surrender, signaling that he too couldn't control the crowd. Even Renly's usually composed demeanor seemed infused with a touch of youthful energy.

Emma shook her head, calling out, "Renly, we're running out of time."

Indeed, they only had two and a half hours for a break before needing to get back to work. "We're still waiting for dinner, but it seems like it won't arrive before the interview is over, so we'd better wrap this up quickly. Otherwise, we'll be hungry during the second half."

The statement was met with playful boos from the young actors. Emma turned to Ned with a smile, adding, "I'm starting to doubt my original choice now. Maybe I should've picked a group of children."

Despite her words, her smile suggested otherwise.

Ned moved forward, greeting each actor with a handshake. Surprisingly, Renly didn't step forward immediately or seek any special treatment. He greeted Ned like the other actors, offering a warm but professional handshake, showing that, despite his accolades, he remained humble.

"Charlotte," Ned said, turning to the closest person, "Let's get started with today's interview."

Charlotte shook her head, waving her hands. "We all know you have countless questions for Renly, so just ask him directly. Don't worry about us," she said with a frankness that wasn't taunting but more of a helpful suggestion. She then smiled, enjoying the situation.

Ezra, still standing by the door, nodded in agreement. "That's right, hurry up and interview him. We're all curious too. He's been training non-stop and never shares anything personal with us. I've always wanted to ask him questions, but he's impossible to get through to." Ezra gave Ned a playful push on the shoulder, urging him to get on with it.

Renly raised an eyebrow. "So, do you really think I'll answer your questions today?"

Ezra was momentarily speechless, caught off guard by the subtle challenge in Renly's tone. Everyone else laughed at the interaction.

Daisy chimed in, "Or, you could ask Tom and Joe. They're big Renly fans. After yesterday's rehearsal, they followed him around and didn't even tell us where they went. Maybe they have some inside info for you."

"Yeah, yeah, they don't even tell me anything," Ezra complained, still full of playful grievances.

Joe, who was usually shy and reserved, couldn't hold back. "Why didn't you tell me, Ezra? Is it because you had a date yourself?" he teased, causing Ezra to pretend he didn't hear.

Tom stood up, adding to the banter. "Oh, please. Don't act like you're innocent. Every time practice ends, you and Renly are whispering to each other. Renly's been giving you private coaching, and we all know it. Didn't you meet with him before the second act today?"

Daisy blushed slightly, "I'm just studying hard. I have so much to improve on, and Renly has been kind enough to help me. I'm grateful for it, but... I only know about professional things. I never ask about his private life."

The room was buzzing with laughter and chatter. It seemed that no questions needed to be asked at all; the conversations themselves were revealing little anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories of the cast.

"So, what's your first question?" Renly interrupted with a lighthearted tone, redirecting the focus back to Ned. He smiled softly, "If you don't ask, I'll assume you're content with this chaos."

Ned chuckled. "It's actually quite interesting listening to these conversations. Readers would never expect to hear this side of the cast. But I do have a question. I'm curious—why the West End? Why choose a stage play?"

After the Oscars, Renly had countless Hollywood opportunities, yet he'd chosen the quieter, less glamorous West End of London. What made him step away from the limelight?

"Oh, such a boring question," Ezra piped up playfully. "I thought you'd ask him about winning the Oscar."

"Or about being the youngest gold medalist in history, any special feelings?" another voice chimed in, making light of the typical celebrity questions.

The playful banter made everyone laugh.

Renly, amused, responded simply, "It's nothing special. The opportunity came up, so I took it." He answered with such ease that it left Ned and everyone else momentarily speechless.

Renly continued, explaining, "I've wanted to return to the stage since filming Transcendence. I realized my foundation as an actor wasn't solid enough, and I wanted to keep honing my craft."

Ned, reflecting on the past year, recalled Renly's experience with Transcendence.

Renly continued, "Then I came across an opportunity. My teacher, John Codd, was preparing a new play, so I auditioned."

The whole story was summed up in two sentences, but it was clear Renly had a depth of thought behind it. Noticing the stunned expressions around him, Renly added with a smile, "Or you can just write that I'm doing it for the hype. That works too."

Laughter filled the room.

Ned finally asked, "So, how does it feel to be back on the stage?"

Renly's eyes sparkled with humor. "Ned, when we met in Berlin, you wouldn't ask such a simple question."

Ned was pleasantly surprised that Renly remembered their previous encounter in Berlin. However, before Ned could respond, Renly teased, "Have you never wondered if I came to the West End to escape Hollywood? Maybe I didn't want to seem arrogant, or maybe I didn't want to be called a 'hype machine.'"

"Uh..." Ned paused, unsure how to respond. He couldn't argue with that.

Renly shrugged, his smile both self-deprecating and witty. "I'm not sure. Maybe I just wanted to avoid the noise, and I didn't want to add to the hype."

Ned nodded, appreciating the answer. He then shifted gears, asking, "And what about Jean Valjean? What made you choose that role?"

Renly's tone became serious, his eyes lighting up as he spoke about his craft. "Because it's full of challenges."

Ezra, unable to hold back, interjected, "You wouldn't believe how hard Renly trained for Jean Valjean."

Tom added with a grin, "During rehearsal, Renly was pushing himself so hard. He even fell twice. It was crazy!"

Daisy chimed in, "I bet he fell asleep with the script in his hand."

Michelle couldn't resist joining the conversation. "He was so focused, capturing his positioning and lighting. It was... intense!"

The laughter continued, filling the room with energy as Ned finally realized that the interview was turning into a delightful and candid conversation rather than a typical Q&A.